Seguin, Benn score 2 each as Stars beat Panthers 4-2

That left Jordie Benn – caught flatfooted on the same side of ice as his defense partner as the puck reached former Stars forward Reilly Smith – as the last line of defense.

However, the look on his face said otherwise, and his gritty performance later proved it.

Florida, which won its first two games at home, watched a Jonathan Huberdeau turnover deep in the Dallas zone turn into the Stars’ first goal.

The loss prevented the Panthers from matching their best start (4-1) in the 1995-96 Stanley Cup Finals season.

Power-play opportunities_Dallas 1 of 2; Florida 0 of 1.

Seguin fed a pass to Benn for a power-play goal 50 seconds into the third period.

The rest of the game was intense, with neither team breaking through until Seguin scored again, assisted by Benn and John Klingberg to give Dallas their first lead with just 3:02 left in the game. With just 19 seconds left during a change by the Panthers, Benn got the puck at center ice and lobbed one in the direction of the net and it trickled in for the game clinching goal, as Sharp and Seguin assisted.

The Dallas Stars regrouped after falling behind by two goals early in the second period and rolled past the Florida Panthers.

Officials waved the goal off, citing interference on Jaromir Jagr – even though it was Huberdeau who made contact and initially knocked Lehtonen down.

Florida coach Gerard Gallant agreed, saying the better team won. After a lengthy review, Barkov was awarded his third goal of the season and Florida was allowed to keep its timeout. However, several seconds passed – during which time Huberdeau vacated the crease and made the centering feed to a wide open Barkov while Lehtonen remained unable to get his bearings in the crease – until the goal was scored. “We were trying to take over the game and we obviously did that”. Pirri, who sustained a concussion last season, seemed dazed, but after a quick trip to the dressing room, he returned. It was his second of the night and fifth on the season. Seguin, Pirri and Smith grew up together in the Toronto suburbs and played on the same line for three seasons of youth hockey in the Greater Toronto Hockey League. “I just liked the desperation (in our game)”. “We all did something different, so it’s cool we all end up here”. The Czech forward was called up from Texas (AHL) after Curtis McKenzie was placed on injured reserve…. “But for me I think it starts in my own end”. “I’m excited for that because Jagr is basically my idol, right?”

Jagr and Faksa got to train together at the Stars training camp after the lockout in January 2013. It seemed like one of the first times in the season that the Stars had fewer shots on goal than their opponents, which hampered the excitement of the first period almost as much as a hit on Patrick Sharp which, though it had no long-lasting negative effects, was concerning given the amount of forwards the Stars have recently lost to injury. “Just to talk to him, just look at what he’s doing on the ice, off the ice, how he’s preparing for the games”.

It marked the third straight game Barkov has scored a goal.

“This is what I’ve been working for”.